1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to firearms, particularly autoloading handguns, and more specifically concerns a reversible magazine release mechanism for handguns. Even more specifically, the present invention is a universal magazine release mechanism that can be selectively assembled with a firearm to adapt the firearm for efficient and comfortable use by right handed users or left-handed users. While this invention is described herein particularly as it relates to autoloading handguns, it is intended that the invention be readily adaptable for a wide range of firearms, including shoulder fired rifles, shotguns, and the like and firearms that employ a number of different types of projectiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The 1911 A1 semi-automatic, autoloading handgun, initially developed for military use by personnel of the United States, is representative of the type of handgun to which the present invention is particularly concerned. The 1911 A1 handgun is still in use at the present time and a number of different types of handguns have been developed by a number of different manufacturers which employ a cartridge autoloading feature that is generally along the lines of the original 1911 A1 handgun. In simple terms the 1911 A1 handgun employs a frame supporting a barrel and having a spring biased reciprocating slide member that is moved rearwardly, toward the user of the firearm, by the recoil force that is generated by gas pressure developed by the burning gunpowder of a round or cartridge being fired. This gas pressure is also the motive force that propels the bullet of a cartridge through the barrel and to a target on which the sights of the handgun are aligned.
As the slide member is moved rearwardly against the bias of its return spring, a cartridge case extractor in assembly with the slide extracts the spent cartridge case from the firing chamber of the barrel and moves it rearwardly until it contacts an ejector and is then projected outwardly through a cartridge ejection port of the slide member, away from the firearm and away from the user. The handgrip or handle that is a component of the handgun frame defines a magazine chamber, within which is positioned a magazine containing a number of cartridges. When the magazine is inserted to its full extent within the magazine receptacle it becomes locked or retained in place by a magazine release device that is moveably supported by the handgun frame. The magazine positions its first or uppermost of the cartridges in position to be removed from the magazine and transported into the firing chamber of the barrel by the forwardly or returning movement of the slide member. After a cartridge has been fired and its spent cartridge case extracted and ejected, the return spring moves the slide member forward, causing it to engage the exposed cartridge of the magazine and move it forward, into the firing chamber of the barrel. This cartridge handling and firing process occurs each time the trigger mechanism of the handgun is actuated by the user, until such time as the last of the cartridges of the handgun has been fired and its spent cartridge case has been extracted and ejected.
At this point the handgun is “empty” of cartridges. If additional firing is intended, the user will replace the empty cartridge magazine with a magazine containing cartridges or will remove the magazine and re-fill it with cartridges. Removal of the magazine of a 1911 A1 handgun or a firearm similar to the 1911 A1 is accomplished by pressing a magazine release button projecting from the left side of the frame, causing the magazine to be released from its locked position within the magazine receptacle.
The 1911 A1 autoloading handgun was primarily developed for use by right-handed users, since a majority of handgun users are right-handed. The magazine release button of the 1911 A1 firearm is located on the left side of the frame so that it is easily contacted and actuated by the thumb of the right hand of a user without necessitating release of the handgrip by a right-handed user. Unfortunately, if the user is left-handed, the user must reach to the left side of the handgun either over the slide member or under the forward part of the frame with the right hand to actuate the magazine release button. Alternatively the user may choose to change hands with the handgun so as to be able to actuate the magazine release button with the thumb of the right hand. This of course is an awkward activity that requires additional gun handling steps by a left-handed user and detracts from the speed and efficiency of handgun use. Such left-handed handling of a handgun is particularly disadvantageous if the user is involved in rapid fire shooting, such as during tactical shooting activity or during a rapid-fire match where the speed of gun handling activity is of the essence. It is therefore desirable to provide these types of handguns with magazine release mechanisms that can be selectively adapted for efficient use by left-handed users as well as right-handed users.
1911 A1 type handguns have been developed specifically for left-handed users, with the magazine release buttons of the magazine release mechanism located on the right side of the frame of the handgun, so as to be positioned for engagement and manual actuation by the thumb of the user's left hand. However, this is disadvantageous for the reason that additional inventory is required to accommodate the needs of right-handed and left-handed users. Moreover, a handgun that is specifically designed with a magazine release button on the right side of the handgun for a left-handed user cannot be efficiently used by a right-handed user. To date, to the knowledge of the inventor, handguns have not been developed for universal use with magazine release systems that permit selective assembly of a magazine release mechanism to a handgun frame so that it can be installed with one orientation for right-handed users and another orientation for left-handed users. Accordingly, the present invention has been designed for universal, selective assembly of a magazine release mechanism to a handgun frame mechanism to adapt the firearm for efficient use by right-handed users and left-handed users.